Page 18 - Gibson W.B. "The complete guide to knots"

Multiple Figure Eight

This is a fancier bit of rope work.
As the name implies, it is a series of
Figure Eights that can be "set up" by
forming the first loop, then
alternating underhand and overhand
fig. 1
loops in left-right, left-right fashion
(fig. 1).
Then thread the end up through
the loop on the right. Weave it over
the bottom portion and under the top
portion of each loop, continuing until
you push it down through the top or
original loop, exactly as in the simple
Figure Eight (fig. 2).
Draw on the end and the standing
part, and you will form overlapping
fig. 2
eights.

Stevedore's Knot

There are several variations of this
knot, but one of the simplest is a
combination of the Figure Eight with
the common Overhand Knot.
You start with an overhand loop
and continue with an underhand
loop. But, when the end is pushed
down through the original loop (as in
the Figure Eight) it is then brought
, so
over it and under it again (fig. 1 )
that an Overhand Knot is tied to the
original loop (fig. 2). It is double the
size of an Overhand Knot or a Figure
Eight, so it makes a good handle on a
heavy rope.
A similar knot is made starting
with an ordinary Figure Eight, but
when forming the lower underhand
loop, take a full turn around the
standing part of the rope before
pushing the end down through the
first loop. This will tighten in the
same fashion. With either version,
added turns may be used.